This invention relates to a means for positively controlling the positioning and/or movement of a workpiece as the piece is being worked by a hand-craftsman.
More specifically, this invention relates to a device suitable for use by a hand-craftsman or the like which will enable the craftsman to either quickly and accurately position or reposition a workpiece that is situated upon a working surface or, alternatively, to move a workpiece with a prescribed motion over the working surface as it is being acted upon by a cutting or finishing tool to generate a desired contour or outline upon the work.
Most hand-craftsmen who are interested in forming cuts or finishes in a workpiece, carry out their work at a bench or table having a flat working surface. The work is typically held in one hand and a tool or instrument for carrying out the desired operation is held in the other hand. When a relatively straight pull or push cut is to be made, the work is sometimes placed against a rest or stop to prevent it from moving as the cut is being taken. However, for the most part, control over the tool and/or work has heretofore been dependent mostly upon the skill and experience of the artisan.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,056,136, there is disclosed a guide apparatus for use in conjunction with a portable tool of the type generally used to carve or sculpt a work element. The apparatus includes a face plate having an independent four jaw chuck mounted thereon for positively securing the work to the plate. A maulstick is passed laterally over the surface of the plate to provide a rest upon which the tool-holding hand of the craftsman is placed. The other hand of the workman is used to manipulate the handle of the maulstick which, in turn, guides the tool over the surface of the work. The face plate and chuck form a relatively heavy and complex combination that is sometimes difficult in practice to utilize. The clamping jaws are further capable of marring or deforming the workpiece which would prohibit the use of this equipment on workpieces made of precious or delicate materials. It should also be noted that the user's hands are both occupied in guiding the maulstick and the tool and, as a consequence, the face plate cannot be manually turned by the artisan as the piece is being worked. This is particularly undesirable where complex or intricate designs are being worked.